Time Ticks Forward
by YuGiOhRox
Summary: The bell tolls. A late night visit can be surprisingly welcome. Written for Jerza week, sequel to 'And Your Hand.'


**Time Ticks Forward…**

 **Jerza week, prompt 'Bells.'**

The whole incident with the Infinity Clock had been crazy, and now Erza was just glad that it was all over. That horrible chiming noise that chilled her to the bone during her battle with Cobra, she was glad that she wouldn't ever hear it again.

A year passed by and she couldn't forget the awful ringing of that thing, sometimes when she was sleeping, she'd dream about it and wake up in a cold sweat. She was ashamed that it got to her so much, it had been ages ago and still creeped her out. She at least had the fact that nobody had seen her like this on her side.

A tap came at the window and she jumped, having recently propped herself into a sitting position after waking from another nightmare. Her head smacked into the wall behind her and she couldn't muffle her yelp, instead was left hoping that over her three rooms, nobody heard her. Though she was sure her visitor at the window did. Gulping, she swivelled her head to see a flash of spiky hair, muscled chest and perfect cheekbones; for a minute she thought Gray had come calling, before she saw that her guest was wearing too many clothes. Erza wasn't entirely sure whether she was pleased that Jellal had come to see her or incredibly worried.

After further evaluation, she realized it was a little bit of both. A guildmate seeing her in this state would've been horrible, but Jellal seeing her like this was hell. She blushed; embarrassed that she'd been caught by her one and only like this. Even under this particular circumstance though, she was glad to see him.

Another knock came and she reprimanded herself for forgetting to open the window as she took off the latch. He slipped inside and she closed it again, wary of the bitter winds at that hour. Heading back to her bed, she turned on the lamp sitting at her bedside table, thankful that she could now see his face. Her fingers twitched, wanting nothing more than to just reach out and cup his face, bringing him in to a kiss, and never let him go.

She blushed, and hoped that her hair fell in front of her face enough to hide most of it.

"I apologize for coming at such a late hour Erza."

"Yeah, why did you come so late anyway? It's three in the morning." He grew flustered and looked to the floor, bringing a small smile to her lips at his cute antics.

"I'm not actually completely sure, but it just felt like the right time to come. I couldn't sleep and I felt this weird feeling in my stomach, a sort of tugging, and-" She hurried over to him and hushed him by placing her hand over his mouth, relishing the small touch after so long apart.

"It's fine, I get it." She felt him sigh in relief and removed her hand, thankful to see him return to normal with the addition of a light pink blush to his cheeks. She stepped back, knowing that her being so close would get him riled up. His naivety and innocence in matters like this endeared her; he could go from being this brilliant uptight guy to a shy adorable mess in an instant. Something seemed off about it tonight though; it was more nervous and sketchy than usual.

"Why did you come anyway?" She stopped herself from grinning too wildly; her reputation wouldn't stand for being so overly enthusiastic about his mere presence. If Evergreen or Mirajane ever found about this, she'd never hear the end of it.

"Well, um," He took a few deep breaths before continuing while Erza waited patiently for what he had to say. "We've known each other since we were little children and I've always been sweet on you, this amazing little girl who wanted nothing more than to fly off into the sunset on her broomstick. After everything happened when we met years later at that place, I couldn't see much of her anymore; the child I'd always had a crush on was gone and replaced with this goddess. You were cute back then, now calling you something less than outstandingly beautiful wouldn't do you justice. You know exactly why I love you Erza, I tell you over the lacrima each day and I stand by what I say when I tell you, there aren't enough stars in the sky I could match to each reason for why I care about you.

"After everything the both of us have been through, the memories that were once lost to me mean nothing without you. You Erza are the one reason I keep living and breathing each day, my existence means nothing with you not there with me. So Miss Scarlet, would you please do me the honour of becoming my wife?" While he was speaking, he had slowly sunk down to one knee, holding out an open box with two rings inside. She took the one on the left, a ring with the diamond a strange colour blue that reminded her of Jellal's hair, and studied it for a while, shocked from his speech as Jellal waited for an answer.

Upon closer examination, she saw that the ring she was holding had a thin silver band for the diamond to be set on. The stone itself was larger than most that she saw but small enough not to be hideous or tacky. The one still in the box had a red stone set in a silver hold and from what she could see, had a gold band for the finger.

She fiddled with the blue for a few seconds as she mustered up exactly what she wanted to say in reply to him, only to fins she was still too shocked to say as much as she felt she needed to. After everything Jellal had said just then, the simple answer that slipped past her lips seemed completely insignificant.

Only it wasn't.

"Yes."

Jellal – who had started breaking out in a nervous sweat – whipped his head up from looking at the carpet to meet her gaze, thrilled to see the unrestrained joy and delight in her pretty eyes. He saw her struggling to say something more, only for it to come out all garbled but he didn't mind, instead rising to his feet again, and swooping down to peck her on the cheek to the corner of her mouth where she turned her head for their lips to meet.

It was chaste, but sweet, and because of the late hour he stayed the night in her bed, joyous for the feeling of her arm thrown over his chest as she cuddled up beside him.

*/*\\*

It was only five months later that they had the ceremony, only their guildmates and friends from other alliances present. Wally and Sho sent their congratulations and approval, also their regret that they wouldn't make it until a week later.

As they walked out of the rebuilt Kardia Cathedral, their hands linked and fingers intertwined with everyone cheering for them – Mirajane and Natsu were the loudest. Typically the matchmaker and the dragon that couldn't stay quiet. From the Fairy Tail guild there were some playful threats for if he hurt her, none that he hadn't heard before and he smiled at them before walking away with his new wife, revelling in how right that sounded.

Bells chimed in the background as they drove off in their car to their clichéd honeymoon and Erza snuggled up to him, relishing in the sound, no longer afraid of any sort of chiming.


End file.
